The rule: one page per customer
Not one long list for everyone.
On a shared list you can see that someone took goods on Tuesday. On their own page you can see that it's the fifth time this month, they haven't paid since the 2nd, and how much they owe now.
At the top of each page
- The customer's name and phone number
- Where they live or work, so you can find them
- The credit limit you agreed, so you know when to stop giving
The 5 columns
- Date: the day of the sale or payment.
- Details: what they took (“rice 5 kg, oil 1 L”) or how they paid (“cash”, “transfer”).
- Credit: the value of goods they took and will pay for later.
- Paid: money they gave you.
- Balance: what they owe after this line.
Work it out on every line, not at the end of the month. A mistake then shows up on the next line, not weeks later. For big amounts, ask the customer to initial the line.
A filled-in page
Amounts are in your own money. Names are made up.
| Date | Details | Credit | Paid | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct | Milk ×2, sugar, bread | 6,400 | 6,400 | |
| 5 Oct | Noodles, 1 carton | 3,200 | 9,600 | |
| 9 Oct | Cash | 5,000 | 4,600 | |
| 12 Oct | Rice 5 kg, oil 1 L | 7,500 | 12,100 | |
| 20 Oct | Soap, detergent | 4,300 | 16,400 | |
| 28 Oct | Transfer · settled | 16,400 | 0 |
Check one line: on 9 Oct, 9,600 + 0 − 5,000 = 4,600.
If you make a mistake
Don't erase it or tear out the page. Draw one line through the wrong entry, write the right one on a new line and initial it. You and the customer can both see what changed, and nobody argues later.
A blank page to copy
Draw this in any exercise book, or use your browser's Print to print a few pages.
| Date | Details | Credit | Paid | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The summary page (once a month)
At the front of the book, list every customer on the last day of the month.
| Customer | Limit | Balance | Last paid | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mama Joy | 20,000 | 0 | 28 Oct | 3 |
| Mr Emeka | 15,000 | 14,200 | 30 Sep | 31 |
| Iya Bisi over limit | 10,000 | 22,500 | 14 Aug | 78 |
| Total owed | 36,700 |
Two numbers matter most:
- Total owed is your money that is not in your shop. Many owners are surprised how big it is.
- Days since last paid shows who has gone quiet. Remind them first, politely and in private. Need the words? Polite WhatsApp reminder messages.
The same columns in Hausa and Yorùbá
These are the words the BashiBook app uses.
| English | Hausa | Yorùbá |
|---|---|---|
| Customer | Abokin ciniki | Oníbàárà |
| Credit | Bashi | Gbèsè |
| Paid | An biya | Ìsanwó |
| Balance | Ma'auni | Ìwọ̀ntúnwọ̀nsì |
| Note / details | Bayani | Àkọsílẹ̀ |
| Credit limit | Iyakar bashi | Òpin gbèsè |
When the paper book gets too much
Paper books get wet, torn and lost, and the sums take time. BashiBook is the same format on your phone:
- One page per customer, with their phone number and credit limit.
- Credit and Paid in two taps. The balance is worked out for you on every line.
- The summary page is always ready: total owed, and how many days each customer has owed.
- Polite WhatsApp reminder in one tap, with the name and amount filled in.
- Works offline once opened. Your book stays on your phone. Free to start, in English, Hausa and Yorùbá.
Questions
What columns should a shop credit book have?
Five: Date, Details, Credit (what the customer took), Paid (what they gave you) and Balance (what they owe after that line). Put the customer's name, phone and credit limit at the top of their page.
How do I work out a customer's balance?
New balance = previous balance + credit - paid. Work it out on every line so a mistake shows up on the next line, not weeks later.
What if I make a mistake in the book?
Don't erase or tear out the page. Draw one line through the wrong entry, write the correct one on a new line and initial it, so you and the customer can both see what changed.
Is there a free app that keeps the credit book for me?
Yes. BashiBook keeps one page per customer, works out every balance, shows how many days each customer has owed, and sends a polite WhatsApp reminder in one tap. It is free to start and works offline once opened.